BoE considers nepotism guidelines

The Effingham County Board of Education is reviewing a nepotism policy mandated by the state.

The policy affects immediate family members of school or system administrators, the superintendent and BoE members, keeping them from becoming superintendent or serving on the school board.

The pending policy defines an immediate family member as a parent, child or spouse.

Up to this point, the board has not had nepotism policy.

Anyone with a parent, child or spouse sitting on the board, serving as superintendent or as a school principal, assistant principal or system administrative staff employed on or after Jan. 1, 2010, would be prohibited from becoming a member of the BoE.

The policy also would make anyone with an immediate family member sitting on the school board or hired or promoted to principal, assistant principal or system administrative staff on or after Jan. 1, 2010, ineligible to serve as the superintendent of schools.

“Basically, that just affects someone becoming an administrator and doesn’t affect teachers or paraprofessionals or anything like that,” Superintendent Randy Shearouse said to board members. “But it does affect becoming an administrator.”

Those with immediate family members working for the school system as teachers or paraprofessional would not be banned from serving on the school board or as school superintendent.

The policy does not affect anyone who was employed on or before July 1, 2009, or who is employed by the BoE when an immediate family member becomes school superintendent or a school board member.

The nepotism policy will sit for public review for approximately one month before the school board votes on it.